Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

mind. And this supreme love for his riches shut his eyes to the wants of his fellowmen. He did not love his neighbor as himself, therefore he failed to keep the lastsix commandments. His heart was on his treasure. It was swallowed up in hisearthly possessions. He loved his possessions better than God, better than the heavenlytreasure. He heard the conditions from the mouth of Jesus. If he would sell and giveto the poor, he should have treasure in heaven. Here was a test of how much higher heprized eternal life than riches. Did he eagerly lay hold of the prospect of eternal life?Did he earnestly strive to remove the obstacle that was in his way of having a treasurein heaven? Oh, no; “he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”I was pointed to these words: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye ofa needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Said Jesus: “Withmen this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Said the angel: “WillGod permit the rich men to keep their riches, and yet enter into the kingdom of God?”Another angel answered: “No, never.”I saw that it is God’s plan that these riches should be used properly, distributedto bless the needy, and to advance the work of God. If men love their riches betterthan they love their fellow men, better than they love God or the truths of His word, iftheir hearts are on their riches, they cannot have eternal life. They would rather yieldthe truth than sell and give to the poor. Here they are proved to see how much theylove God, how much they love the truth; and, like the young man in the Bible, manygo away sorrowful because they cannot have their riches and a treasure in heaven, too.They cannot have both; and they venture to risk their chance of eternal life for a worldlypossession.“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man toenter into the kingdom of God.” With172